Earnslaw Quarry Lake, Malvern hills, Worcestershire.

Dappled woods and fresh foliage

From Earnslaw Quarry car park go north along the easy access path to a grassy clearing with several benches. Behind the banked wall of trees a path leads you down to Earnslaw lake.

Bluebells along the path

The trees around the clearing

Forget-me-nots along the path

Everything, the grass, foliage, gently unfurling ferns are so very very verdant, vigorous and vital. In the ancient woods all is new and every breath you feels is life affirming. Blue flowers in patches embellish the dappled floors. Earnslaw lake, the flooded quarry, mystically reflects the fairytale foliage.

Ferns unfurling

Nature on such a day as this seems bounteous and protective rather than red in tooth and claw.

Earnslaw lake from above

Mystic looking tree roots

Earnslaw lake reflecting it's surrounding and so disappearing

Whitley Court Lakes, woods and children's garden, Worcestershire.

The Whitley Court Lake

 Part of Whitley Court is a less formal wood, with a

On the path through the wood

 large naturalistic lake, which supplies the Shawley
 Brook from it's cascade. A large clear path through
 the wood leads you along the brook, and you could
 happily imagine all is as nature intended, but if you
 look closely you realise that much of the planting,
 including the trees, are American species, imported
 in the 1870's and 1880's.

The giant spiders web in the wilderness garden

Willow Nessies

In the 1990's a wilderness garden was developed to showcase native trees and plants. This area is being developed for children, and already boasts a giant spider and to willow "Loch Ness Monsters".

This year two beautiful wooden play areas have been built. One is for young primary age children and the other for older junior age children. They are due to be opened very soon.

The younger children's play area